Disposable tissue receptacle



' P 1957 A. l. APPLETON 2,806,591

DISPOSABLE TISSUE RECEPTACLE Filed Aug. 23, 1954 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 q QrikurIQopZZon fiz z gpn Sept. 17, 1957 Filed-Aug. 23, 1954 A. l. APPLETON DISPOSABLE TISSUE RECEPTACLE 3 Sheets-Shut 2 I so 9 11 2 a z 'urja o ozei'on United States Patent DISPOSABLE TISSUE RECEPTACLE Arthur I. Appleton, Northbrook, Ill.

Application August 23, 1954, Serial No. 451,640 Claims. (Cl. 20658) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 298,258, filed July 11, 1952, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates in general to dispensing devices and, more specifically, to a novel receptacle for dispensing rolled web stock in individual sections or pieces when drawn from the receptacle by the user.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth and which will find particular, but by nomeans exclusive, utility for dispensing facial and toilet tissues individually from a storage compartment housing the tissue stock in roll form rather than a stack of interfolded pieces.

Another object is to provide a novel dispensing receptacle of very inexpensive construction adapted to house a roll of sectionalized web stock, which may for example be facial tissue, toilet tissue, paper toweling, or the like, and to dispense the same in individual pieces as an incident to drawing the web stock through a constricted wall aperture in such receptacle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive receptacle of the character set forth and which is susceptible of use in a wide variety of locations such as homes, hotel rooms, rest rooms, public and private vehicles, and machine shops.

A further object is to provide a receptacle of the type set forth and having a neat and foolproof starting arrangement, permitting such receptacle and its roll of tissue stock to be sold as a finished package.

Other objects and advantages will doubtless become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a novel dispensing receptacle constituting an. illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l but showing the receptacle in normal operative condition after the dispensing process has been started.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a sectionalized roll of web stock of the type dispensed by the receptacle disclosed herein.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through the receptacle of Fig. 1 and in the plane of the line 44.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 4

but taken in the plane of the line 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken in the plane of the line 6-6 in Fig. 5 and showing sequentially the manner in which a tissue is dispensed from the. receptacle.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing another form of dispensing receptacle which alsoconstitutes an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, longitudinal and transverse vertical sectional views through the receptacle of Fig. 7. I

The view of Fig. 9 is taken in the plane of the line 9-9 in Fig. 7; while the longitudinal view of Fig. 8 is taken in the plane of the line indicated as 8-8 in Fig. 9.

Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views through the dispensing receptacle taken in the plane of the line 10--10 in Fig. 9 and illustrating sequentially the manner in which sections of web stock are dispensed from the receptacle.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain preferred em bodiments have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is there exemplified in a novel dispensing receptacle 10 which may be constructed inexpensively from cardboard, heavy paper, sheet metal or other appropriate material. The illustrative receptacle 10 happens to be of oblong, boxlike form, comprising opposed pairs of longitudinal wall panels 11, 12 closed at their ends by an opposed pair of end panels 14. The wall panels 11, 12, 14 together enclose and define a relatively large storage compartment 15.

Housed within the storage compartment 15 is a roll 16 of sectionalized web stock (Figs. 4 and 5) which in this instance happens to be facial or toilet tissue wrapped about a cardboard core 18. The roll 16 has an axial dimension comparable to but slightly less than the longitudinal dimension of the wall panel 11, 12 so that it will fit into the storage compartment without binding unduly against the end wall panels 14.

The roll 16 (Fig. 3) is of substantially uniform thickness and sectionalized into a plurality of non-overlapping, severably connected, individual pieces or tissues 19 arranged consecutively in a web 20. Accordingly, the web 20 is provided with a series of spaced apart, generally transverse severance lines 21 which may be either perforations or scores in the web stock. The perforations or scores are of such a nature that each consecutive severance line 21 will permit a rupture of the web 20 through its entire thickness, be the web of either single or multiple ply. In this case, the lines 21 are formed as perforations, leaving successive sections or tissues 19 connected to their predecessors and followers in the web 20 by means of a plurality of web stock bridges 22. To achieve best operation of the dispenser, it is important that there be a bridge or tie 22 at each lateral edge of the web. In the case of single ply facial tissues, it has been found feasible to make these edge ties somewhere between one-eighth and one-fourth of an inch in width. While the transverse severance lines 21 are shown in the drawings as perpendicular to the lateral edges of the web 20, it should be noted that this is not absolutely essential as a slight curvature, undulation, or skew in the line 21 will not hamper the dispensing operation.

Provision is made in the receptacle 10 for dispensing the sectionalized web stock from the roll 16 in individual pieces or sections, each of which severs automatically from the next succeeding section as an incident to being withdrawn from the storage compartment by the user. This is accomplished by loading the web 20 with a yieldable tensile stress which sets up a drag as each section or tissue is being withdrawn from the storage'compartment, and by causing such concentration of this tensile stress at the lateral edge portions if the web 20 as t e same passes through.

a dispensing aperture that rupture is initiated along the severance line 21. Such tensile stress or loading is derived partially from the weight or inertia of the roll 16v itself,' and partially from a constricted dispensing aperture 24, so

Accordingly, one of the longitudinal wall panelsof the receptacle 10 is fashioned with a dispensing aperture which:

. in this instance happens to be a relatively short slot24 with concave ends. The longitudinal dimension of the slot 24 is considerably smaller than that of the wall panels 11, 12 and is also much smaller than the axial dimension of the roll 16. The slot 24 is preferably centered longitudinally in the wall panel 11 but situated in relative proximity to an adjacent one of the wall panels 1 2 so that an outward pull on the Web 24 by the user will be applied generally tangentially to the roll 16 as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Turning now to Fig. 6, in particular, it will be perceived that as the web 20 is fed through the dispensing aperture 24, the latter subjects the web stock to considerable lateral gathering and substantial frictional drag. This is accentuated by the weight or inertia of the roll itself and the net result is application of a substantial tensile stress-to the web 20 in opposition to drawing of the same through the dispensing aperture. This stress is greatest at the dispensing slot 24 and is concentrated largely in the lateral edge portion of the web passing through the dispensing aperture.

As the trailing end of an emerging section or tissue 19 leaves the roll and approaches the slot 24, as shown in Fig. 6, the tensile stress on the web stock bridges 22 between the trailing end of the tissue 1% and the next succeeding tissue 19A is comparatively Widely distributed along the severance line 21. As the severance line 21 nears the dispensing slot 24, its ends are retarded due to the substantial lateral gathering effect at the edge portions of the Web 20. The medial or intermediate portion of the severance line 21 which is only li htly stressed and is relatively unaffected by the lateral gathering, passes through the dispensing slot 24 ahead of its end portions. This puts the intermediate portion of the severance line 21 through the dispensing slot 24, which is the region of greatest concentration of tensile stress on the lateral edge portions of the Web, with such lateral edge portions resisting these concentrations of stress with unwealzened stock. With a slight additional degree of outward movement of the emerging tissue, the ends of the severance line 21 enter the dis pensing slot 24 and become subjected to the maximum concentrations of tensile stress there present. This results in almost immediate rupture of the web stock bridges 22 at or near the ends of the severance line 21, setting up a progressive tearing action from the ends toward the middle of the line 21, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6. Such action continues and ultimately results in com lete separation of the tissue 19 from the tissue 19A after the manner indicated in Fig. 6.

In practice, the progressive tearing action may start at one end or the other end of line 21 rather than simultaneously at both ends. By the same token, the actual lateral edges of the web 20 may curl around to some extent as the Web is led through the dispensing aperture. In such event, the peak concentrations of tensile stress, Where tearing would start, would still be in the lateral edge portion or marginal edge portion of the web passing through the dispensing aperture, but they would probably be situated a short distance in from the actual web edges. Tearing would then start at a point or points situated inboard from the actual ends of the severance line 21. However, once tearing action starts, it will result in rapid and effective separation of the fully emerged tissue 19 from the emerging tissue 19A, leaving enough of the latter projecting out of the receptacle so that the user can easily get a grip on it and repeat the process.

In order to facilitate starting of the web through the dispensing slot 24, and also to enhance the utility and appearance of the receptacle It the same may be equipped with a finger tab 25. In the present instance, the tab happens to be of folded paper construction and is releasa'bly fastened in place over the slot 24 with one end depending over the corner of the receptacle 15). The opposite end of the tab v25 is secured to the free end of the web 20 in any suitable manner, the end of the web preferably being gathered laterally at the point of attachment to the tab. 7

Referring next to Figs. 7 and 11, inclusive, there is shown another dispensing receptacle 30 which also illustratively embodies the invention. The receptacle 30, like the receptacle 10, is of hollow, boxlike form and in this instance comprises opposed side wall panels 31, 32, top and bottom panels 34, 35, and end panels 36, 38. These panels may be made of stamped sheet metal or other appropriate material and together they define within the receptacle 30 a storage compartment 39 Which houses a roll of facial tissue, toilet tissue, paper toweling or the like, similar to the roll 16 described earlier herein and illustrated in Fig. 3. To provide access to the storage compartment 39, the top 34 may be fastened to the wall panel 31 as by means of a piano hinge 40, being held in closed position by means of a lock or a latch 41 spaced from the hinge 4th. The parts of the receptacle may be made of a number of difierent products and in the form illustrated in the drawing they happen to be made of relatively light sheet metal.

Provision is also made in the receptacle 30 for dispensing the sectionalized web stock from the roll 16 in individual sections, each of which severs automatically from the next succeeding section as an incident to being Withdrawn from the storage compartment by the user. As in the case of the receptacle 10, this is accomplished in the receptacle 30 by loading the web 20 with a yieldable tensile stress which opposes Withdrawal of each section from the storage compartment, and by concentrating such tensile stress at the lateral edge portions of the web 20 so as to initiate rupture along the severance line 21 as each succeeding section emerges from the receptacle.

In accordance with the foregoing, the receptacle top 34 is formed with a constricted dispensing aperture 42 which happens in this case to be circular in shape and has a rolled or coined edge 43. The aperture 42 is so proportioned that the width of each section from the roll 16 is at least several times the diameter of the aperture 42.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the receptacle 3% is so constructed that the tensile stress on the web'2tl, as it is withdrawn from the storage compartment 39, will be increased and rendered more constant than if derived only from the frictional eifect of the constricted aperture 42 and the weight or inertia of the roll 16. This is accomplished by journaling the roll 16 upon a pair of resiliently-biased trunnions 44 fixed in spaced relation to the panel 34 and the dispensing aperture 42. The trunnions 44 are preferably of conical or tapered shape so as to bear against only the core 18 of the roll. They accordingly support the roll 16 in such a manner that a yieldable frictional drag will be applied to the core 18, and hence to the roll 16, in opposition to the withdrawal of the web 20 through the aperture 42. This drag will, moreover, be unaffected by the amount of web stock contained on the roll 16 and will supplement that produced by the constricted aperture 42 and the weight or inertia of the roll.

Either one or both of the trunnions 44 may be fixed to upstanding leaf springs 45 secured to the bottom 35 of the receptacle and adapted to bear toward the ends of the roll. The roll may be mounted on the trunnions after the manner shownin Fig. 9,.with the web fed tangentially and straight up through the dispensing aperture 42. On the other hand, the position of the roll ends may be reversed and the web fed upwardly at an angle to the dispensing aperture and thence drawn straight up from the top of the receptacle. By the same token, the dispensing aperture 42 may be situated adjacent either side of the panel 34, occupying the position shown in the drawing or alternatively changing positions with the latch or lock 41.

While the operation of the receptacle 30 may already be apparent to those skilled in the art, it is appropriate at this point to present a brief synopsis with particular reference to Figs. 10 and 11. As the user grips the emerging section 1 of the Web 20 and draws the same through the constricted dispensing aperture 42, tensile stress is set up in the web 20 as a result of the frictional drag exerted on the :core '18 by the trunnions 44, the frictional drag exerted by the constricted dispensing aperture 42, and the weight or inertia of the roll 16. As indicated earlier herein, the distribution of this tensile stress laterally of the web 20 becomes more concentrated as the web approaches the dispensing aperture, the concentration building up in the lateral edge portions of the web until it reaches a maximum at the dispensing aperture. As the severance line between the two succeeding sections 19, 19A approaches the dispensing aperture 42, its intermediate portion, which is then under comparatively low stress concentration, enters first. With additional outward movement of the web, the ends of the severance line at the lateral edge portions of the web are subjected to maximum stress concentrations as they pass through the dispensing aperture 42, initiating ruptures at or near either or both ends of the line 21 as they emerge from the aperture 42. This results in progressive tearing along the severance line 21 and, ultimately, in separation of the tissue 19 from the following tissue 19A. The action is such as to leave the tissue 19A with its leading end projecting sufiiciently beyond the aperture 42 so that the user can readily get a grip on it and repeat the dispensing process.

The dispensing device described herein is well adapted to dispense a wide variety of tissues andother materials when in the form of rolled, sectionalized web stock. In addition, the device may be fabricated in a host of dilferent ways to suit specific applications. For example, in lieu of the portable boxlike construction shown and described above, the receptacle may be so constructed that the storage compartment is permanently built into the wall of a home or hotel room, with the dispensing aperture panel (with or without trunnions) serving as a door or cover for the storage compartment. On the other hand, the receptacle may be especially proportioned and constructed so as to fit into the glove compartment or under the dashboard of an automobile. Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a dispensing device has been provided which eminently fulfills the objectives set forth earlier herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a receptacle for dispensing web stock of facial tissue, toilet tissue, or the like in individual sections, the combination comprising a panel having a dispensing aperture therethrough, a roll of web stock mounted in spaced apart, generally alined relation with said panel and having an axial dimension several times greater than the maximum dimension of said aperture, said web stock being sectionalized by spaced apart, transverse severance lines, said web stock being fed through the dispensing aperture in said panel and gathered laterally of said roll by said aperture, the emergent portion of said Web stock having the lateral extremities of its severance line retarded as compared with the intermediate portion thereof to initiate separation along such line in response to an outward pull on said emergent portion of said web stock.

2. A receptacle for dispensing disposable tissues and the like individually from a sectionalized roll of web stock and comprising, in combination, means defining an elongated, storage compartment, a panel enclosing at least a portion of said storage compartment, said panel having a constricted dispensing opening therein positioned midway between the ends of said compartment and of a comparatively small cross-sectional area, a roll of tissue stock housed within said storage compartment and adapted for rotation within said compartment, said roll having a plurality of sequentially spaced apart transverse severance lines defining a connected series of readily severable individual tissues therein, said tissue stock being led from said roll to the exterior of said compartmentvia the dispensing opening, said tissue stock also being gathered laterally of said roll as said stock passes through the opening causing the extremities of the perforation line between the fully emerged tissue and the partially emerged tissue to lag behind the medial portion of said perforation line, whereby tension applied to the fully emerged tissue results in automatic progressive severance thereof from the partially emerged tissue.

3. In a receptacle for dispensing web stock of tissue or the like in individual sections, the combination comprising a wall panel of generally oblong shape, said panel having a dispensing slot therethrough of substantially lesser transverse and longitudinal dimensions than those of said panel, a roll of web stock mounted in spaced apart, generally alined relation with said panel and having an axial dimension several times greater than the longitudinal dimension of the dispensing slot, said web stock being sectionalized longitudinally by spaced apart, transverse severance lines, said web stock being adapted to be led through the dispensing slot in said panel and gathered laterally of said roll by the latter, and a finger tab releasably mounted in overlying relation with said dispensing slot, said finger tab being fixed to the end of said web stock for starting the same through said slot.

4. In a receptacle for dispensing web stock of paper tissue or the like in individual sections, the combination comprising means including a wall panel defining a storage compartment, said panel having a constricted dispensing aperture therethrough, a roll of web stock having an axial dimension several times greater than the dimension of said dispensing aperture laterally of said roll, said web stock being sectionalized longitudinally by spaced apart, transverse severance lines defining rupturable ties between successive sections, resiliently biased trunnion means journaling said roll in spaced apart and generally alined relation 'with said panel, said web stock being fed through said panel aperture without overlap and being gathered laterally of said roll by said aperture, the emergent portion of said web stock having the lateral extremities of its severance line retardedas compared with its intermediate portion thereof whereby separation is initiated along such line in response to an outward pull on said emergent portion of said web stock.

5. A device for dispensing rolled web stock of paper tissue or the like in individual sections, and comprising the combination of a plurality of wall panels defining a storage compartment, one of said panels having aconstricted dispensing aperture therethrough, a roll of web stock having a tubular core and an axial dimension several times greater than the maximum dimension of said dispensing aperture, said web stock being sectionalized longitudinally by spaced apart, transverse severance lines defining rupturable ties between successive sections, a pair of generally conical trunnions rotatably supporting said roll in spaced apart relation with said one panel and bearing primarily against said core, and a resilient member biasing at least one of said trunnions toward the other and said core so as to yieldably resist rotation of said roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,482 Taylor Apr. 9, 1940 2,323,395 Harwood July 6, 1943 2,440,974 Resch May 4, 1948 2,541,933 Nail Feb. 13, 1951 2,633,985 Meyer Apr. 7, 1953 

